Henriette, Young Sailor (Henriette, jeune marin)

Henriette, Young Sailor (Henriette, jeune marin) is a significant print created by Henri Matisse in 1923. This work exemplifies the artist's intense focus on portraiture and the female form during his time working in Nice in the early 1920s. This period of the French master’s career saw him frequently exploring intimate, simplified lines, often capturing models in moments of repose or introspection. Matisse utilizes the specific disciplines required by printmaking to strip down the image to its fundamental components.

The work is classified as a print, employing the nuanced and technical process of drypoint with chine collé. Drypoint involves directly scratching the plate with a sharp needle, creating microscopic burrs that, when inked, produce rich, velvety lines distinctive from standard etching. The accompanying chine collé technique involves adhering a thinner, often toned, sheet of paper to the primary, heavier support during the printing process. This method allows for subtle textural variation and enhances the fragility and delicacy of the drawn line, giving the drypoint a slightly softer appearance.

Matisse portrays his primary model from the era, Henriette Darricarrère, who sat for the artist numerous times between 1920 and 1927. Although the title refers to her as a "young sailor," this is often descriptive of her temporary costume or attire rather than a literal depiction of her profession. The focus remains on the sensitive rendering of her facial features and the economy of line used to define her silhouette, showcasing the artist’s remarkable ability to convey deep structure and character with minimal strokes. This composition, dating from c. 1923, is a crucial example of the graphic output of the artist following the highly experimental Fauve years, maintaining a powerful connection to the European figurative tradition. The print Henriette, Young Sailor is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.